SoDur Dunkies: Pave paradise, put up a coffee shop

The Hope Valley Commons shopping center under construction at NC 54 and NC 751 in South Durham near the Garrett Rd. extension has drawn some understandable grumbling from a number of residents dismayed at seeing more of the tall pines that have marked this part of the Bull City fall to the bulldozers. (A Harris Teeter is expected to open later this year at the shopping center/outparcel center.)

We're not sure this will cheer those folks up, but the H-S is reporting today that local Dunkin' Donuts franchisee Peter Turner has signed on the dotted line to open Durham's second outlet of the Massachusetts coffee shop at the plaza. The store will feature a 24-hour drive-thru but, unlike the outlet on Erwin Rd. near Duke, will not have a Baskin Robbins ice cream shop.

It's a logical location, given the NC 54 commuter traffic to RTP and Chapel Hill, and with proximity to I-40 for Orange/Alamance commuters to boot.

October 2008 is listed as the expected opening date for this location.

Monica Chen's article notes that Turner intends to open up two additional outlets in the Bull City. (Pure speculation on my part, but if the typical chain-store development trends hold, I'd expect the 15-501 corridor to be on anyone's watch list, along with North Durham.)

Comments

[Will G.]

Let's hope that the employees are better trained and more professional than those working at the Erwin Square location. As a semi-regular customer, I am dismayed at the (lack of) training and common sense on display. The only thing that keeps me coming back is that they are the only player in town. The donuts are not nearly as good as the ol' Krispy Kremes, with their light, warm, oozy deliciousness, but, when the chips are down and you need a donut, you do what you have to do.
Mr. Turner, if you are reading this; Please get your staff some better training and skills! We love the attempt at bringing a wonderful breakfast item back to Durham after the evil Dr. Atkins (and KK's bookkeeping) combined to drive the category almost out of business, but poor service and inconsistent quality will bring you down every time, no matter your intentions.

[Durham Bull Pen]

Not that I was ever a big fan, but the "terrorist scarf" incident with Rachael Ray in which Dunkin Donuts folded like a cheap lawn chair pretty much sealed the deal for me not giving them any $$$.

[Masshole]

Lets hope they can make consistent coffee like the ones in the NE. So far, and the D&D down here I haven't been impressed by the great coffee one day and the so so the next. Even worse, the nearly white colored iced coffee. They need to import some more massholes in to work at the local Dunks.

[durhamwalkingdog]

I agree that it's a little loose behind the counter but my expereince has been that they are all polite, friendly and trying to do their jobs.

I'd take that over a well-run surly crew. OR an understaffed one like at Chipotle...

[Adam Covati]

I have to agree that the DD on Erwin isn't too hot. Having (somewhat) recently moved down from Boston, I'm psyched about having a DD in my neighborhood. I hope that this crew is better trained, I like walking into a DD and asking for a regular and getting it right without 10 questions.

I miss good DD coffee.

[Spencer Dempsey]

While I realize the presence of Dunkin' Donuts makes New Englanders feel right at home, I urge everyone to find a coffee shop that is local, that buys coffee from local roasters, and isn't a large corporation. Nothing against people from New England; they are certainly welcome here and free to drink all the DD they want. Nothing against corporations either. I just think we have some excellent coffee assets here in the Triangle and fast-food coffee joints diminish the quality of that offering.

On another note, if you aren't familiar with Fair Trade coffee and other products, it would be worth a google search. Local companies especially are making efforts to ensure a sustainable future for coffee farmers in the regions of the world that coffee is grown by paying a guaranteed living wage for Fair Trade coffee. The coffee is still of the highest quality and poor farmers in Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa don't have to sell it to Dunkin' Donuts at dirt cheap prices. Yet coffee costs the same regardless of where you buy it. So the questions becomes do we pay the corporations or pay the farmers?

[Mike]

Pay the Farmers!! Local roasted fair trade coffee is far superior to DD coffee.

[Jo]

DD espresso is 100% fair trade certified.

[ddlovah]

So is DD coming or what? It's been two months and still no sign of it!